Northern Michigan Kids: Build a Megalith for Raven Hill's New Exhibit

Northern Michigan Kids: Raven Hill Discovery Center, located in East Jordan, was recently awarded a grant by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs for their "Blurred Boundaries: Ancient to Modern Megaliths" exhibit. Here's how your family can get involved!

Raven Hill Discovery Center will expand its popular outdoor Ancient World area this spring and summer thanks to a 2012 grant awarded by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts. This grant will allow the addition of a new exhibit, "Blurred Boundaries: Ancient to Modern Megaliths," and Raven Hill wants you to help build it!

Specifically, the Blurred Boundaries grant enables Raven Hill to expand its 30 acre Ancient World exhibit with the construction of five new megaliths — large stone sculptures or groupings of rocks originally placed for sacred celebrations or to honor something or someone (think Stonehenge!). The exhibit aims to connect an awareness of the rocks that form our earth to ancient cultures and their interpretation of the world by bridging the gap between past and present; art and history; natural and manmade; and simply decorative or purposeful.

Raven Hill wants you to be involved with this exciting new project! Schools and community members are invited to submit miniature interpretations of ancient megaliths from now until April 21st. All submitted miniliths will be on display at Raven Hill from April 22nd until May 6th, when a judging committee will choose three miniature megaliths to be “enlarged” and installed in the Blurred Boundaries exhibit.

In addition to the three community-designed megaliths, two professional artists will create and install their modern interpretations of well-known ancient megaliths. All five megaliths will be unveiled at a grand opening on September 16, 2012.

Raven Hill Discovery Center, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, provides the only place in northern Lower Michigan where children and adults can link science, history and the arts with hands-on activities and explorations both indoors and outdoors. The 2012 grant marks the twelfth consecutive grant awarded to Raven Hill by MCACA. This latest grant is for $6,000 and must be matched with another $6,000 in cash or in-kind contributions.

For details on how you can contribute to Raven Hill Discovery Center, or to learn how you can participate in the Blurred Boundaries exhibit, visit ravenhilldiscoverycenter.org, or call 231.536.3369 or 877.833.4254.

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